After one full month on a mooring ball in Marathon, Florida, we finally dropped the lines to begin our last leg north before we cross our wake. January was spent recuperating from a year of constant movement, and this past week was the perfect way to cap off that month of rest and relaxation. 

With the temperatures finally starting to rise (after weeks of unprecedented low temps), we made our final rounds hanging out with all the new friends we made in Boot Key Harbor. On Monday, we had a delicious meal at Takara Thai House that truly blew us away. Everything is made to order, and we finished our meals with clean plates. Tuesday night ended up being our last night in the Boot Key area, as the weather was looking promising to move the next day. 

Come Wednesday afternoon, we said our goodbyes to the place we’ll now hold close to our hearts and made a short 14-nautical-mile cruise up to Duck Key. Because the winds have been so high lately, the Atlantic was a little choppy, but nothing we hadn’t encountered before. If anything, we were just happy to have blue skies and temperatures above 60 degrees! Upon arriving to Duck Key, we pulled into Hawks Cay Resort and Marina for five days of luxury resort living. 

Hawks Cay Marina recently celebrated a remodel in December, and it was sure to impress. With over 60 slips, the facility is extremely clean, lined with several Killerdock fish-cleaning stations, a brand-new ship store and an on-site restaurant (Angler & Ale) that we visited many times during our stay. Immediately upon arrival, Chris, the dockmaster, took us on a golf cart tour of the entire 60-acre property, which includes two pools, a saltwater lagoon for paddleboarding and kayaking, a spa and several dining options.

Of course, boat chores are always on our to-do list, so we spent some time Saturday and Sunday cleaning both the inside and outside of the boat. After sitting stationary in saltwater for so long, we’re long overdue for a hull cleaning, so that is being added to the top of our priority list. Between work and boat chores, we did get a chance to enjoy a massage at the Calm Waters Spa, which felt like the cherry on top of our month of R&R.

We may or may not finish out our time in the Florida Keys this upcoming week. The weather will dictate each of our moves, but it looks like we might have strong winds again this weekend. Cheers to continuing the adventure!